Philanthropy: It's not all about the money

People who view philanthropy as a financial baggage or a last option for a wealth strategy could see this as a strain on their pockets. But for those inclined to charitable giving, philanthropy could mean more than an optional responsibility reserved for excess wealth and unwanted assets. However, by developing a systematic strategy that is integrated with personal and wealth transfer goals, giving could lead to a purposeful endeavor that is not focused on the idea of giving money.

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This is what philanthropy means for The Naples Trust Company. It is committed to using philanthropy not just as a means of donating money but as a way to solve problems in the society. For the past decade, the company has dedicated over $1 million to nonprofit organizations to make a difference in its community.

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Similarly, The Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation, headed by Alex von Furstenberg, addresses generosity as a gratifying feat. The organization is guided by the shared values, concerns, and passions of its members. Its main vision is to improve people’s lives and strengthen communities. Community building, education, human rights, arts, health, and the environment are the primary sectors that receive the foundation’s support.

In philanthropic acts, money can never be ignored when measuring its depth, but the effect always comes in boundless possibilities.

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Businessman Alex von Furstenberg is actively involved in a variety of philanthropic work. Among the organizations he supports are the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Literacy Partners, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America. This Twitter page provides more updates about him and his contributions to help others in need.

What businesses need to know about ObamaCare

The Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, has been the bane of businesses in the US. Many have fought against it and failed. And since it will fundamentally impact many US businesses, understanding it should be the number one priority for most entrepreneurs and businessmen.

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What is ObamaCare?

ObamaCare is a national health plan that aims to reform the US healthcare system. It focuses on providing Americans with affordable healthcare while regulating the health insurance industry, in order to reduce the country’s burgeoning healthcare costs.

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How will it affect businesses?

Businesses with more than 50 employees working have to provide their employees with healthcare insurance. Failure to do so would require them to pay around $2000 dollars per uninsured employee (after the first thirty employees). So, for a company that does not provide healthcare to its 100 employees, the penalty would be around $140,000. Companies that provide their employees with healthcare insurance that exceeds 9.5 percent of their employees’ household income and/or insurance with inadequate coverage will be penalized as well (around $3000 dollars per insured employee).

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However ObamaCare may seem to be a step into the right direction for the government, it is very important that businesses make sure that these additional tax and penalty burdens don’t cut into their bottom lines.

More business news and updates can be accessed by visiting this Facebook page for Alex von Furstenberg.

Charity ride for the benefit of Lebanon's DDS

June 22, Saturday -- Sunnyside Motorcycle Club bikers headed to the Developmental & Disability Services (DDS)-Alley Learning Center located at the 12th and Walnut St, Lebanon, Pennsylvania to hold their annual Sunnyside Charity Ride.

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At 11 am, the Bryan Stevenson Band, who made well-loved songs such as “Which Is Broken,” “Stay Young,” and “Long As I Can See The Light,” gave a free concert to entertain visitors and guests alike. Expected to arrive at around noon, the bikers then mingled with the visitors and gave them the opportunity to look at the motorcycles.

Furthermore, lunch was served by Morrisey’s Meats from 11am to 2pm. A full meal consisting of pulled pork or beef on a roll, chips, and a drink was served for only $6 per person.

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To cap the event, the club handed over a check to the Developmental and Disability Services of Lebanon Valley, funding its programs and services dedicated to helping both local children and adults with disabilities.

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The charity was supposed to be held on June 29th in the event of bad weather.

Those who joined the charity ride registered at the Myerstown Rod & Gun Club for a $15 donation.

More pertinent charity news and updates can be found by visiting this Twitter page for Alex von Furstenberg.

Strategic giving: Approaching philanthropy with a different mindset

In spite of the recession and the still recovering economy, generosity remained abundant in the US. The philanthropic community has been notably active in the previous year, with about 64 million volunteers and 65 percent of households donating to a charity or a specific cause. As a whole, foundations, corporations, and individuals gave about $298 billion.

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While philanthropic work in the US continues to be a strong driving force in promoting social change, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen noted that there is still much that can be improved. Ms. Arrillaga-Andreessen, who teaches four philanthropy courses at Stanford, has made materials on studying and teaching philanthropy available online to encourage other learning institutions to start their own programs.

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Majority of the donors to philanthropic ventures are driven by emotion or a generous feeling. Therein lies a great but yet untapped potential because there are greater things that can be achieved when people take time to learn about the potential impact of their donations.

Shifting from emotion-driven giving to strategic philanthropy can empower the givers. The new generation of philanthropists is hungry for more information, and they want to know just how much impact their efforts and donations will have. In giving them the materials they need, they can go beyond being passive givers who are just hoping that their contribution will help and become effective planners and implementers of social change.

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This Twitter page on Alex von Furstenberg is regularly updated with links to stories about developments in philanthropy around the nation.

Comfort Zone Camp: Because grieving children need a fun and safe place to go to

Many children are left unaided and unguided following the death of their parents. Relatives may feel at a loss on how to help children who are experiencing grief. Fortunately, Comfort Zone Camp helps create a world where grieving children are not left to mourn alone. Instead, it provides a community that allows children to heal, grow, and lead fulfilling lives.

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Comfort Zone Camp is a nonprofit 501(c)3 bereavement camp open to children who have experienced the death of a parent, a primary caregiver, or a sibling. It transforms the lives of grieving children by understanding their needs, appreciating what they can do, and giving them a voice.

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The bereavement and therapeutic program at Comfort Zone Camp is unique from other therapeutic programs because of the following features:

• Year-round program. Issues may arise any time of the year for grieving children. Thus, the camp provides a strong program and a support community from which campers may draw strength from all throughout the year.
• Free for all children. Children don’t have to worry about the expenses as the program is free for all of them.
• Designed to suit children’s needs. The program is based on how children—not adults—actually grieve.
• 'Little Buddy/Big Buddy’ system. This is a matching system wherein a camper is paired with a volunteer (1:1). The pairing model provides each camper with a dedicated mentor or friend to help in the healing process.
• Opportunities for removing barriers. The camp uses loss to provide children with some ways to meet and bond with other kids who are experiencing the same situation. This makes them feel that they belong, which would help them bid goodbye to loneliness.

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Not all children affected by a death in the family are able to express this grief in the healthy way. At this point in their life, it is as crucial to show them how to do this as much as giving them the love and affection they so need.

Alex von Furstenberg helps children cope with grief by supporting Comfort Zone Camp. Visit this Facebook page to know more of his philanthropic efforts.

Lessons in philanthropy

Little by little, the world is changing its views on philanthropy. It is no longer the endeavor of wealthy individuals with cash to spare. With the advancements in technology and information, philanthropy has become a challenge to every individual to contribute to causes and programs that are geared toward solving some of the various problems that the world has today.

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In order to give more power to the act of giving and to have it make more of an impact, people will have to learn about modern philanthropy. There is a need for people to know about the various aspects of philanthropic work (what works and what doesn’t) for them to be able to formulate better solutions for the many problems of the modern world.

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Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, who teaches philanthropic courses at Stanford University, has revealed in an interview that more than half of all individual philanthropists give to charity without knowing exactly how their contribution will impact the cause. She further goes to say that there is a massively untapped potential there and that results could be improved if the givers were better informed of how their generosity can be translated into something that affects the world in a more meaningful way.

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Recently, Ms. Arrillaga-Andreessen has shared her notes and syllabi on philanthropy online, in hopes that making educational material on charity easily available can spur other educational institutions to start offering their own courses on philanthropy and strategic giving.

Follow this Twitter page on Alex von Furstenberg to find more articles on matters related to philanthropic work.

Is everything you need to know about investing right?

Whatever you want to invest in—whether on stocks, mutual funds, annuity, or an IRA account—never plunge into it without having all essential questions answered. The government reminds every investor that every investment draws some risks at some degree. No matter how seasoned you are as an investor, there are ‘fine prints’ to consider when making a wise investment decision. For all you know, the things you might have picked up in the past may lead you to financial catastrophe today.

With this in mind, Forbes presents three rules that investors—even high-profile ones like Alex von Furstenberg and Jeremy Stoppelman—can benefit from.

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Rule # 1
Familiarize yourself with dollar-cost averaging. It emphasizes on the importance of periodic allocation of a certain amount of money into stock investments rather than investing it all at once, which has a lot of risks.

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Rule # 2
As you come close to retirement age, take it easy on aggressive investing. Moderation is the key as you would want to protect your assets.

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Rule # 3
Know that choosing a high-performing mutual fund in implementing your asset allocation makes sense since top raters tend to stay in control of the things they do best.

Don’t just take this advice as it is. Seek more answers from various resources. Understand that at the end of the day, the important things are those that make you comfortable and those that work best for you.

Alex von Furstenberg is the chief investment officer and founder of Ranger Global Advisors, a family office focused on opportunistic value-based investing. Learn more about investing by logging on to this Facebook page.